Is it Stockholm Syndrome?
by AnimeLuvChu
Summary: "From now on- you belong to me." It was an absolute order. There should have been no feelings between them. As Shiki's soft side shows, Akira begins to feel something for him. But is it Stockholm syndrome? Retell of Shiki's true ending in the game with alterations. WARNING! YAOI/BL Don't like, don't read.
1. No, it's hate!

So this is my first fanfic ever. And I just really like this pairing and wanted to write about it. So sad in Shiki's true end. I mean he and Akira were together but what's the point if Shiki is a veggie!? And Shiki was just starting to get soft in the end too... So, I decided to write my version of the story with a nicer Shiki (since I wasn't really satisfied enough just from the game. They didn't even make a cg of the scene where Shiki kissed Akira!)

Anyways, reviews and feedback is much appreciated. Thanks for reading!

Disclaimer: I do not own Togainu no Chi, as much as I want to I don't.

**Prologue- No, It's Hate!**

The rain was falling hard on the cold ground of Toshima where Keisuke's lifeless body lay. There sat Akira his mind broken in pieces in front of Shiki.

"Just do whatever you want. I don't care anymore."

"Well then…" Shiki walked closer.

"…!" A peculiar floating sensation consumed Akira. Shiki was carrying him.

"Let me down!" Akira kicked and squirmed in Shiki's arms in an attempt to break free.

"Be quiet." Shiki commanded.

"From now on- you belong to me."

It was an absolute order.


	2. This is Too Confusing

First real chapter of the story. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Togainu no Chi.**

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**Chapter 1: This is Too Confusing**

"Tch."

It had been about a day since Shiki went out and he still hasn't come back. Akira was starting to get a little pissed off.

What the hell was he doing for such a long time? What if he was never going to come back?

Akira sighed.

_That would be the best… _

Wait. Maybe Shiki really wasn't going to come back. Then he would be free to leave.

Akira kicked the white sheets off the bed and sat up. He stared at the door thinking about whether to leave or stay. This was the best chance he could ever get. Shiki was gone now.

But what if he left? What would Shiki do?

Hunt him down? No. Akira didn't matter to him anyways. He was just a plaything for Shiki to pass the time. Surely, Shiki won't care for a toy he probably already got bored of.

_What's the point in trying?_

Akira laid back down on the bed trying to catch some sleep. His eyelids weighed heavily. He had been so tired since Shiki had… done 'that' to him.

It was so disgusting! How can Shiki, who was a man, do something like that to him, who was also a man!

Akira's stomach twisted. Just thinking about it made him want to hurl.

At the same time, his piercing on his navel tingled, just like when Shiki first gave it to him. The sweet sensation of pain mixed with pleasure. He could almost feel Shiki's slick tongue on it right now. It was almost as if it was trying to remind Akira of something. Something he did not want to know.

Memories full of humiliation flooded his mind. Him lying there on the bed, legs spread wide, pants down, as he consoled himself with Shiki's scarlet glare drilling holes into his body. His wanton moans and lewd sighs filling the bathroom as he was getting screwed in the shower. Every bit of it left a scar on his pride. Oh, the agony.

A voice in his head spoke. His own voice.

_But you liked it didn't you? _

"No I didn't…"

_Just admit it already._

"No!"

This was pointless. Arguing with himself wasn't doing anything but making him more confused.

Did he actually like it when Shiki touched him?

No way! Who would actually enjoy being touched by that bastard!?

He hated everything about Shiki. That smirk. How he mocked Akira. And those red eyes.

Those red eyes…

Images of Shiki flashed through Akira's mind.

Oh, how mesmerizing those eyes were. Whenever Akira looked into them it felt like Shiki was piercing through his soul.

Akira flushed; feeling exposed all of a sudden.

_Shit! Why am I acting up just thinking about him?_

He hugged his stomach and curled up into a ball. It was really hurting now.

"Nng…!"

After a few moments of tossing around the bed, the pain finally calmed down.

"I'm so tired…"

His eyelids fell and sleep finally consumed him.

Akira's eyelids fluttered open. The sun was shining like a brilliant flame illuminating the whole room.

He looked around. Shiki was nowhere in sight.

_He still isn't back!?_

Akira looked to the door once again. Should he try? Try and escape this place? Try and escape from Shiki?

But it would be so simple. Just get up and open the door. Then he would be free from this nightmare.

_Who am I kidding? There's no way Shiki would make it that easy. The door was probably locked anyways…_

Come to think of it, was the door ever actually locked? Akira never bothered to check since he assumed it would be, knowing what kind of a person Shiki was.

_Could it be that simple…?_

He got up and walked towards the door. He reached out and held the door knob. He gave it a twist.

The door opened with a screech.

He only stared at it wide eyed.

_All this time… It was always open. _

Did Shiki just forget? No way. Shiki isn't that careless.

Akira closed the door and sat down on the bed. He needed some thinking time.

This couldn't be Shiki being careless. Akira finally realized. All along, the door was open. Shiki left it open on purpose.

He had to chance to escape all this time. Shiki had actually given him that chance.

Why was he so stupid? If only he had tried to get up and check if the door was unlocked before. If he had attempted escaping, he could have done it.

What stopped him?

Sure, the thought of escaping passed his mind before but he never actually thought of it as possible.

But now, it was right in front of him. This was it. Either take it or leave it.

Akira put on his jacket and headed outside.

It's been so long since he got a breath of fresh air. The wind blew on his blue-gray hair. He was finally free.

Now where was he going to go? Or more like who he could go to. Akira woke up from his temporary peace.

Oh, right. Keisuke… He's dead. Gone forever…

Rin and Motomi weren't options either. After all, they only met for a while.

Who else was left?

Akira didn't want to be alone again… He wanted Keisuke back. He had finally realized how valuable their friendship was and it was taken away in a blink of an eye.

He went back inside to the hallway and sat down by the door.

_In the end, I'm still here…_

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So, what do you guys think? Please review and give me feedback! If you liked it, the next chapter will be up soon!


	3. A little?

Phew, finally this chapter is done. I edited it so many times just to make it as detailed as possible. Thanks so much for the reviews so far! I'm glad you enjoyed my first chapter. I'm guessing that there will be about 5 or so chapters for this story so if you like feel free to stick around for more. Anyways, enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Togainu no Chi.**

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**Chapter 2: A Little?**

Akira's body tensed as he felt the air in the hall change. From a distance, he could hear the familiar footsteps which he had gotten so used to. So he was back…

"What are you doing sitting by the door? Ready to leave?" said Shiki in a demanding voice.

"I-"Akira started but clamped his mouth shut when he realized he didn't know himself either.

"Did you get lonely because I'm not here?"

"Don't be stupid! Who would-"

Shiki suddenly reached towards Akira. His natural reaction was to close his eyes as he was expecting a punch or a kick like he was usually treated. However, there was no pain this time.

Akira opened his eyes and let out a small gasp as he was lifted off the ground. Shiki was carrying him bridal style, again.

"Hey! Let go of me!"

Akira kicked and tried pushing away from Shiki but nothing he did had worked. He hated being carried like this and by Shiki especially. It made him feel so weak and pathetic.

Shiki dropped him on the bed then took off his coat and climbed on top of Akira.

"Get off of me!"

Shiki held Akira's arms above his head and began undressing him.

"Don't touch me!"

Akira knew that his cries were meaningless as Shiki always got what he wanted but he still tried anyways. Stupid pride.

Before he could realize, Akira was already stripped of all his clothes. Akira avoided Shiki's gaze, ashamed.

"Be quiet." said Shiki in an emotionless tone as he began trailing kisses down Akira's smooth skin. Something seemed different about Shiki. Akira noticed. Usually when he came back he'd be trying to provoke Akira with either violence or that mocking speech of his then watch him struggle in amusement. But today… something was off.

Could something have happened while Shiki was out? After all, it had been a long time since he left.

Shiki licked and nipped at the sensitive skin of Akira's neck sending sweet sensations down Akira's spine. It had such a calming effect on him.

"…Nhh…"

Akira's body immediately became hot and bothered. He looked away from Shiki's all-knowing eyes embarrassed that his body was reacting like this.

"No need to be shy. We already did this so many times, what is there to be ashamed of?"

Shiki's free hand began playing with his nipple. That really didn't do much for Akira, but the way Shiki kept twisting and squeezing it felt so uncomfortable!

"Nngh.."

Shiki's tongue licked over Akira's chest and over his left nipple which he was toying with earlier. He began sucking on it soothing Akira's pain. But then once again, he teased Akira's other nipple with his free hand.

Akira, unable to take in all the pain and pleasure at the same time, felt himself harden.

Shiki noticed this and stopped what he was doing. His lips curled into a slight smirk and then grabbed Akira's cock, stroking sensually.

"Nnnnnh…mph…nh..ah…"

Akira tried his best to stop his moans but Shiki's grip on him was too much to bear.

"Don't hide your sounds. Scream for me." said Shiki teasing Akira more and sucking his nipples again.

Seriously, what is wrong with Shiki today? Not even one attempt at trying to use violence on him. It distressed Akira. Why is he being so gentle all of a sudden?

Akira's cock had gotten so stiff already that it leaked with liquid pleasure.

"Hmph, you're so wet already."

Akira felt Shiki's pumping stop and realized what was going to happen next.

Shiki coated his fingers with Akira's pre-cum and inserted a finger into his anal canal.

"…gh… st..op…gah!"

Shiki inserted another finger. It felt so foreign and uncomfortable.

During the whole process, Shiki's face remained emotionless. His lack of interest showed that he didn't really care if Akira was prepared at all.

Shiki pulled his fingers out of Akira and gave his piercing a flick.

"…!"

"It looks good on you… I'm sure you like it too don't you?"

"…"

Akira tried to move away but there wasn't much he could do while his arms were still held down above his head.

"Do you want me that badly? Then I'll give it to you."

Akira heard the unbuckling of a belt and a zipper being unzipped. Shiki spread Akira's legs wide open and bent him in half. Before Akira could get accustomed to the humiliating position, Shiki already began penetrating Akira mercilessly.

"Nhh! Ahh! Ghh..ngh!"

It felt as if he was being torn up inside. He almost lost his hard-on from all the pain. With every thrust came a shock of pain. Akira began moaning in pain louder than ever before.

It sounded as if he was weeping. It hurt so much!

His eyes were brimming with tears. They were threatening to fall.

Suddenly something really strange happened. Shiki's expression softened just a bit then he stopped thrusting and wrapped his arms around Akira.

Akira was really confused. He knew something was wrong with Shiki but the sudden change in behavior was just so…

"…!"

Shiki buried his face into Akira's shoulder, nuzzling his neck.

Shiki's jet black hair was tickling his face. Akira breathed in his scent. Shiki smells quite pleasant actually. A masculine aroma and the stench of fresh sweat from sex, tangled with the faint scent of rain. And… blood… Whose could it be?

Akira had forgotten that Shiki was still inside him. It felt so comfortable being in Shiki's embrace… It felt like all the pain from before melted away and the tears had retreated. How can someone like Shiki feel so pleasant?

Akira felt Shiki's warm breath against his heated skin, making it even warmer than before. His wet tongue darted out and licked his neck then he bit down on the same spot from before. Instead of a calming effect, this time it hurt a bit but still sent a jolt of pleasure through his body. This would definitely leave a mark.

Akira let out something in between a cry of pain and a moan. The aggressive side of Shiki always showed but it felt so good this time without the bullying.

Then, Shiki began thrusting again. The spell on Akira has just been broken and he was trapped between the gap of pain and pleasure.

"Ngh! Ah!"

Shiki's position changed, his left arm was still around Akira and he used his right arm to spread Akira's legs more. The angle of his thrusts hit at a certain spot that sent waves of pleasure through Akira's body.

Having nothing to hold onto after his arms were released, Akira needed to grab something, anything. So he wrapped his arms around Shiki's back for support.

Shiki noticed the change and aimed for his prostate again and again.

"…Haa…ahh!"

Akira's moans of pleasure echoed off the walls, filling every corner. In the heat of the moment, he arched his back and pulled Shiki closer, seeking his warmth.

"…ugh.."

Shiki let out a tight breath. It was small but enough for Akira to hear. It sounded so sexual… The thought caused Akira to tense up but unlike what he felt from fear, this was different. He felt tingly especially around his hips. This was a new feeling to him. All because of hearing Shiki… Was he seriously getting aroused over this?

"…nn…"

Akira hardened again and pulled Shiki closer to him. Their faces were only centimeters apart.

Akira was staring into Shiki's eyes. Right now, they looked so gentle and soft, moist even, but still continued to hold that mocking nature Akira knew so well. They were almost rueful. Akira has never seen Shiki like this before. Could it be because of someone he killed earlier? If so, then Akira was really curious as to who it was.

His arousal rubbed in between their stomachs and gently grazed the piercing on his navel. The slight pressure on the piercing intensified Akira's pleasure. He arched his back pressing up on Shiki's chest wanting more.

Shiki took action and caressed Akira gently while thrusting harder into Akira's sweet spot. For the last few times, he pulled all the way out then plunged right back into Akira.

"Nnh! Ah! Hn..ah! ...Shi...ki...Ah!"

Akira has reached his limit and cum came gushing out of his erect cock. At the same time his walls clenched tight down on Shiki's shaft and he left out a soft grunt. Shiki tightened his arms around Akira and stiffened.

"…nh…"

Akira felt Shiki's liquid warmth surge into the core of his body.

For a moment they just lay there with Shiki still on top of Akira, enjoying the sweet aftermath. Akira hadn't realized it himself but he has been staring at Shiki for quite a long time now.

_His skin… It's so pale…_

Without thinking, Akira pulled Shiki down and kissed him on the cheek.

"…!"

Shiki flinched and pushed away from Akira. He blinked and stared blankly back at Akira.

"…"

He got off of Akira and walked over to the window.

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For those who haven't played the game yet, this was actually the 2nd ero scene for Shiki's Route where Shiki comes back after killing rin then after some hot smex he kissed Akira (sadly it was just a quick peck). I really wanted to include that but it seemed to be a little bit too fast for it so I changed it to Akira kissing Shiki on the cheek instead. It did actually happen in the drama cds though. Besides, it seems like Akira needs to be the one who guides Shiki a little here O_O

Thanks for reading and please leave a review! Feedback is much appreciated!


	4. Curiosity

Sorry for the late update guys! I had a really busy week and didn't have the time to work on this. I kept you all waiting for a whole week! If I had to wait that long I'd be dead already. But finally this chapter is done! And some good news is that I also planned out a few more chapters. This fanfic looks like it's going to be around... 10 chapters?

This chapter is also a little fluffy at the end (can't always have only the hot smex). I sort of decided on the pattern of how these chapters would go. I'll try to alternate between some fluffy-ness, then the serious plot stuff, and finally the good steamy parts. Tell me how you like it! Anyways, the usual, enjoy! Thanks for viewing!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Togainu no Chi. **

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**Chapter 3- Curiosity **

Akira sat up on the bed once his breathing returned to normal.

After they finished having sex, Shiki left Akira's side and he was now looking out the window. Akira couldn't help but look in his direction.

He saw that it was nighttime already. Even though the lights weren't on, he was able to see Shiki's form with the dim lighting from the moonlight. He looked like something out of a dream. Akira took a moment to observe Shiki's features.

His black attire seemed to blend in with the shadows. The only part of him that Akira could see was his light skin which looked even lighter in contrast to his dark clothing. He continued to study the man more.

His posture was so straight, showing no weakness and so full of certainty and confidence.

Akira's eyes began trailing up from Shiki's torso. He noticed a smear of red, much like Shiki's eyes, on his forearm. That reminded him of the blood that Akira smelled from Shiki earlier. Whose spilt blood could have caused such a change in Shiki?

He wanted to ask.

As Akira's eyes wandered up to Shiki's face, he realized that Shiki was staring back now.

"…What?"

"…!"

Akira flushed a little and looked away.

"…nothing…"

Shiki picked up his sword which was propped up against the wall and unsheathed it. The naked blade shined with glory.

He sat down on a wooden crate next to the bed and took a ragged cloth out of his pocket. He then began to wipe his blade.

Akira tried to avoid staring at Shiki and glanced around the room instead. He noticed something by the doorstep which Shiki must've thrown down earlier. Akira looked closer.

It was two small, slim, sword-like daggers drenched in blood. They probably belonged to the person that Shiki killed.

He could have sworn that he had seen that somewhere.

"Those… aren't yours are they?"

Akira was surprised at his own boldness when he heard his voice speak.

"No."

"You killed someone?"

"They belonged to an annoying cat that was in my way."

"…a cat?"

"It's not your concern."

He had replied so coldly that Akira felt a sudden chill in the room. He hesitated on pressing the issue further.

Shiki was right, this wasn't Akira's concern in the first place. So he continued watching Shiki polish his blade.

Shiki lifted his blade up and narrowed his eyes, studying it carefully. Then he slid the ragged cloth up the blade from the hilt. He handled it with such precision and care, and so sensually.

"You don't use any other weapons? Other than that katana?"

"Other than this katana?"

Shiki turned to Akira.

"No."

And so their little chat ended. Shiki returned his attention to his sword.

"…Why did you join Igura? Doesn't seem like you want to be a drug lord."

Shiki was the most feared man in Igura. As little as Akira knew about this death game, obviously no one was capable of being Shiki's opponent in a match. If he really wanted to defeat the Il Re, he could do it in a matter of minutes. But the man never collected any tags. He was so mysterious.

Shiki sighed.

"Why are you asking so many questions?"

"…"

Akira didn't know why he suddenly wanted to talk to Shiki. Maybe it was just because, well, he felt like it.

"Have you ever witnessed true madness?"

"…madness?"

What was with the sudden new topic?

"Pure, unadulterated madness. All that remains to one who had lost every other human emotion."

Shiki's calm voice held some kind of intense feeling that Akira couldn't quite understand. Akira didn't really understand why Shiki was bringing this up either.

"I've seen it. He looked limp and defenseless. At first glance, you would think he wasn't capable of fighting at all. But he... those eyes."

Shiki was looking a little frustrated.

" I'll never forget the look in that man's eyes. Never. Not even for a second. There was madness in them. They didn't reflect anything. Not even light. Neither black nor white, just pure nothingness."

Shiki was glaring at the empty wall now.

"Emotions are merely an obstacle. All you need is your strength, nothing else."

The tension in the air lifted slightly.

"I'll use this hand of mine to kill him. Without fail."

Shiki seemed so confident on the outside but Akira could feel Shiki's seeping anger.

All this time, Akira had only been wondering who "he" was that Shiki spoke of. Certainly not the person that the daggers had belonged to. Maybe "he" was the reason why Shiki was fighting in Igura.

This person raised Akira's curiosity about Shiki even more.

"Forget you heard this, I was rambling."

"…"

There were so many questions that Akira wanted to ask now about Shiki.

It occurred to him that there was another question Akira wanted to ask. One that nagged at him for a long time now. He didn't want to pester Shiki but his own curiosity killed the cat.

He let out a deep breath and braced himself.

"Why did you bring me here? When we first met you could have killed me. Why didn't you?"

This seemed to spark some interest in Shiki. He put down his sword for a moment and turned to face Akira.

"When people see me, they cower away in fear and avert their eyes as soon as they see me. But you, you're different. You never tried to run away or avoid my gaze, even dared to try and fight me even though you don't stand a chance."

So, Akira was an exception.

"Tell me, aren't you afraid of me? Afraid of death?"

Akira hesitated a little before answering.

"I just don't like being under anyone's control. Humans die sooner or later. I'm not scared of dying. I just don't like the idea of dying without any control over my situation."

"Hmph. Interesting. I was right to not kill you."

Shiki lifted his blade up to Akira's neck.

Even though it was just centimeters away from slicing his throat open, Akira got the feeling that he didn't mean any real harm this time.

"Tell me, what is your name?"

"…"

"Say it."

"Akira."

Shiki's lips formed a satisfied smirk. He withdrew his katana from Akira and placed it on the nightstand.

He rose to his feet and walked closer to the bed then kneeled down on it, using his left arm as support. He leaned forward towards Akira and softly lifted up his chin with his right hand. Akira stared at him in the eye.

"_Akira_. You are a wild and amusing creature."

His own name rolled off of Shiki's tongue. The way Shiki said it made him feel… special.

"…"

Akira glared at him.

"Every time you look at me that way, I want to bring you to your knees and make you bow down to me. I want to crush you."

Shiki's right hand trailed down to Akira's piercing and gave a light push.

"…mph…"

"Then I'll seduce you. _Slowly_, and taking my time."

Shiki spoke in a deep and low whisper. His tone on the last sentence was strangely seductive, like a devil trying to lure someone into hell. Akira felt a pang in his navel.

"Soon, you will lose your pride to me, and finally you will be all mine."

"I don't belong to anyone! I belong to-"

Just then, Shiki interrupted and pressed his lips against Akira's.

"…!"

Akira's eyes widened. Soon Shiki's lips parted from Akira.

Even though the kiss lasted only for a few seconds it was enough to pull a reaction out of Akira. The crimson blush on his face was as clear as day.

"How cute. I think you're losing already."

And so the normal Shiki was back.

"I fucking hate people like you."

Akira tried his best to hold up a threating attitude but his flushed face made it difficult.

"What an honor. However…"

Shiki caressed Akira's piercing and gave it a gentle tug. This time, Akira swallowed his moan.

"Your body is already on the verge of surrendering. If you just gave in and obeyed then your life would be far easier."

Akira was captive to those piercing red eyes again.

He had thought about it before. What a sweet relief it would be to just stop struggling. All he had to do was succumb to the sick pleasure of being touched by Shiki.

But he would never do that. To stop struggling means discarding his free will. He would never ever lose his own will. Even if his body had surrendered, his mind would not.

"…Never."

He would protect his soul to the end. No matter how difficult or how painful it was.

"I see."

Shiki let go of Akira and went back to polishing his blade.

Akira lay back down on the bed and turned facing away from Shiki.

He let out a sigh and attempted to finish his sentence.

"I don't belong to anyone. I only belong to myself. I will only obey myself."

"Hmph… Very well, we will see if that is true."

He smirked again.

"…"

_Of course it's true._

Little did Akira know, Shiki had no desire for Akira to give in so quickly. He wanted to continue enjoying seeing Akira writhe in his grasp and struggle to fight back.

If things weren't like that then things wouldn't be as fun would they?

The more Akira resisted, the more pleased Shiki would be.

Gladly, Akira didn't stop resisting. That only added more fun for Shiki.

As the time past by, Akira has dosed off. In the silence, Shiki could hear Akira's steady breath as his chest went up and down.

"Hey!"

Shiki sheathed his katana and placed it on the nightstand. He walked closer towards Akira.

"He fell asleep..."

Shiki moved Akira's sweaty bangs out of his face. Surprisingly, Akira stirred in his sleep and pressed his cheek up against Shiki's hand. Akira let out a relieved sigh.

"…!"

Shiki sighed.

"What an idiot. If he really tried to leave, he could have done it."

He noticed how loosely the sheets were around Akira's hips and pulled them closer over Akira's chest.

"Why is he still here?"

Shiki put on his coat and picked up his katana. It was time for another delivery of line to Arbitro.

He left the room unlocked again.

"Hmph."

He gave a final glance at Akira before leaving and smirked.

"Bright(**1**), huh?"

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**1**- In Japanese, Akira's name アキラ means "bright" or "intelligent". I thought bright suited Akira so I decided to add that in just for fun. lol.

Sorry if Shiki was a little ooc at the end. But hey, if the characters aren't a little ooc, then there wouldn't be a story right? I also couldn't help but add in a scene with Shiki kissing Akira and tucking him in :3 They are just too cute.

Feedback and reviews are much appreciated! Once again, thanks a whole lot for reading!


	5. Affinity

Sorry for the double late chapter this time guys! I swear this has been the busiest most stressful month ever! End of the semester sucks big time. But I still managed to find a little time to squeeze in some writing. Once it's the end of the month, I think that I'll be able to update faster from then on. I also thought I might reply to some reviews~

**Lion-chan-** Awe thank you! You are so sweet with your encouraging words! I just hate the feeling of waiting for something too long (that feeling drives people nuts!) so I don't want my readers to suffer that. You make me just as happy as I make you.

**X-tremeFighter2000- **Thank you very much for liking my fanfic too! I'm glad that you pointed out how close this was to the game. I actually did it on purpose since I thought it would help some people get which scene I was referring to and especially to those who haven't played the game yet. Maybe I should have wrote that in the A/N? Anyways, thanks for your feedback too!

Enjoy~

**Disclaimer- I do not own Togainu no Chi.**

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**Chapter 4- Affinity **

_It was raining. He was running around the streets of Toshima. He didn't know where he was or what he was doing, but he felt like he was chasing something._

_Then a figure passed by the corner of his eye. He followed it in an alley._

_It was the same alley from that day- that day when Keisuke died. _

_This was all too familiar to him. _

_In front of him was Keisuke's lifeless body. _

"_Keisuke!" he tried to say. But the words won't come out. It felt like a rock was stuck in his throat. _

"_This was your fault. If it wasn't for you, I won't be dead. It's your fault…" he heard Keisuke's voice chant._

_This was his fault. All his fault. It's his blood. It caused Keisuke to suffer. It killed Keisuke. No, he had killed Keisuke. _

_It hurt so much. The pain in his chest, it felt like his heart was being stabbed. He couldn't breathe._

_He began sobbing. The trapped tears that he had been holding in for so long leaked down his cheeks. He was sure he looked pitiful. He didn't want anyone to see him in this pathetic state right now, but he didn't give a damn. _

_Keisuke was dead. He wanted to die too. That was how miserable he was right now. _

_He couldn't hold up his own weight anymore and fell down onto his knees. He covered his ears and shut his eyes tight but the voice and image of Keisuke won't go away. He wanted to escape. Escape from reality and forget any of this happened. It was too painful to face. _

_He heard footsteps, another thing that he was too familiar with. _

_He felt someone get closer to him and a strong grip on his arms._

"_It's okay, let go." The person said. In that moment, all the voices and bad memories of Keisuke disappeared. _

_He did as the voice commanded and let go of his ears. He opened his eyes._

_Before him was a man clad in black with jet black hair and red eyes. Who was this again? He was sure he recognized this person but he didn't remember from where. _

_The man gently caressed his face and wiped his tears away. The place where he touched felt hot._

_Then the man took hold of his waist and pulled him closer into an embrace. His body crushed against the other._

"_I'll make you feel better…"_

_His whole body felt numb as his mind melted to mush._

_The man lifted up his chin and locked their lips together._

"_You're mine, Akira…"_

_That was the last thing Akira had heard before his vision clouded. _

"…!"

Akira's eyes shot open. His hair was a mess and soaked in cold sweat. His whole body shivered.

What the hell was that dream? At the end... Shiki was in it… and he-

Heat rose to Akira's face at the memory.

"Tch. Stupid dream."

He scanned the room. Shiki wasn't here.

Perfect timing, he was in dire need for a shower. He needed to get his mind off of the dream.

He also felt filthy. Not just from the sweat, but also from the activity that Shiki had forced him into and that he still had some dried up blood and grime stuck to his skin from days' earlier wounds.

He didn't even take the time to gather his clothes and walked into the shower and turned on the water.

Akira stepped into the tub. It felt relaxing as the hot stream purified him.

He proceeded to rub the gunk off of himself with his hands.

"Gah!"

Oh, he had forgotten. He still had _that _cut on his hand. The one from when he was fighting Keisuke…

Akira shook off the bad memories and tried to distract himself. He tried to think of something else. He continued cleaning the rest of the filth on himself.

After Akira had finished showering, he collected his clothes scattered around the room and put them on.

Ever since last night, Akira no longer felt the impulse to leave in Shiki's absence. But what could he do while Shiki was gone? It seemed like all he ever will do is wait for him to come back in this confinement where his whole world has been trapped in. How pathetic of himself.

He laid down on the bed and turned to his side. When his neck made contact with the pillow, he felt a sting. It was the bruise from yesterday.

"…!"

First thing that came to mind- Shiki.

How does that man always manage to claw his way back into his thoughts? It was like Shiki was slowly biting away at Akira's heart, taking up all of its space.

Thinking of Shiki also reminded Akira of the dream. Why would Akira dream of something like that? And worse, why did he have to remember?

Akira's face felt hot again.

It just seemed so… intimate for Shiki to do something like that. The image of Shiki kissing him was just-damn it! Akira closed his eyes for a moment trying to calm down.

"_You're mine…" _Shiki's voice echoed in his mind.

"…!"

Why was Shiki always so difficult to understand? One moment he's a ruthless killer and then he suddenly becomes soft for a while.

Like that kiss last night. Why did Shiki do that? What did it mean?

This was so frustrating! Why was Shiki so complicated? It just made so him hard to get.

Akira caught himself. Had he been trying to understand Shiki? Why should he care? He hated Shiki. They hated each other.

There was no way that Akira could be beginning to feel even the slightest affection for Shiki. But there was no denying that he had.

Come to think of it, now all of his emotions have been revolving around Shiki. Anger, frustration, irritation, hate, curiosity, confusion, and embarrassment. He doubted that he had felt any sort of emotion before all this.

What was happening to him?

His eyelids closed and he dosed off to sleep.

Sometime while Akira was asleep, Shiki had come back. The door creaked heavily as Shiki entered the room. Akira was soundly asleep.

He threw his coat off and propped his katana up against the wall then got on the bed. To be honest, he was exhausted. A few nights without sleep can even wear out a man like Shiki.

Feeling the commotion next to him, Akira woke up and turned around. He was surprised to see Shiki sleeping beside him. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Nothing about Shiki seems human. That's what Akira thought. But the sight of Shiki sleeping in front of him just proved that he was human like anyone else.

Akira studied Shiki's face. It held a peaceful and calming feel. He also noticed hints of dark circles on Shiki's normally perfect skin. His skin was very light after all.

_So he gets tired too, huh?_

A loose strand of black hair fell on Shiki's cheek. Akira moved the lock away.

"…!"

Akira marveled at how soft Shiki's skin was. Some part of him wanted to keep touching Shiki. Akira rested his hand on Shiki's cheek.

With his eyes closed, Shiki looked a lot less threatening. Being around Shiki never felt so calm.

A thin smile formed on Akira's lips. He was acting really weird now. Was it because of Shiki too?

The soothing atmosphere began to put weight on Akira's eyelids. And so he fell asleep.

* * *

Once again I apologize if this chapter lacked some action (*winkwinknudgenudge* knowwhatimean?). It was also very rushed and short. And boy, did Akira sleep a lot. -.- But future chapters should be getting better!

Thanks for reading and reviews are much appreciated!


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